title: Infections in transvenous cardiac pacemakers: two more cases.
abstract: Two patients with metastatic pacemaker infections, one caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, 5 months after implantation, and the second by Streptococcus pneumoniae, 8 years after implantation, were treated successfully by removal of the pacemaker systems. Infection reoccurred in the patient with Pseudomonas aeruginosa, who initially underwent partial pacing system removal allowing the atrial lead to remain. Repeat partial atrial lead removal and contralateral pacemaker implantation was followed by clinical infection, which was resolved when both the implanted atrial lead fragment and the recently implanted pacemaker were both removed. Removal of all hardware is required for cure of pacemaker infection.
authors.affiliation: Cardiothoracic Unit, The Northern General Hospital, Sheffield, England.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mezilis
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Hough
authors.forename: G D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Oakley
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004866:Equipment Contamination; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010138:Pacemaker, Artificial / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000382:microbiology*; D011008:Pneumococcal Infections / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000628:therapy; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D016459:Prosthesis-Related Infections / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000628:therapy; D011552:Pseudomonas Infections / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000628:therapy; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012008:Recurrence; D012086:Reoperation; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000302:isolation & purification
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents